Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,650 per month in Bergen vs $2,557 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,988 per month in Bergen vs $3,928 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,327 per month in Bergen vs $5,298 in Baerum, rent included.

Bergen costs about 4% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bergen and Baerum sit above the global median – Bergen by 98%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.72 NOK 248

$25.61 NOK 247

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 994

$102 NOK 984

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.51 NOK 188

$13.15 NOK 127

48.37%

Cappuccino

$5.42 NOK 52.3

$4.98 NOK 47.99

8.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 30.86

$2.52 NOK 24.32

26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.90

$2.16 NOK 20.87

33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.82 NOK 114

$8.84 NOK 85.3

33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 NOK 94.3

$9.47 NOK 91.3

3.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.56

$2.29 NOK 22.04

15.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.62

$3.58 NOK 34.52

-8.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.80

$3.21 NOK 30.93

-10.28%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 47.29

$4.97 NOK 47.96

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 NOK 137

$11.42 NOK 110

24.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.06 NOK 155

$16.31 NOK 157

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.21 NOK 272

$31.23 NOK 301

-9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 38.03

$3.56 NOK 34.29

10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.55

$2.33 NOK 22.45

27.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.21

$3.27 NOK 31.55

14.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 NOK 54.2

$3.98 NOK 38.42

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 26.32

$2.21 NOK 21.29

23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.07

$2.14 NOK 20.68

35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 27.03

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$1.83 NOK 17.60

16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.95 NOK 163

$14.10 NOK 136

20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.26 NOK 166

$18.21 NOK 176

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.84

$3.49 NOK 33.62

-5.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 42.22

$4.01 NOK 38.71

9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 43.12

$4.15 NOK 40.00

7.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 NOK 783

$72.7 NOK 701

11.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 147

$10.29 NOK 99.2

48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 21.68

$1.41 NOK 13.55

59.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 700

$42.77 NOK 412

69.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.53

$2.12 NOK 20.43

0.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.3K NOK 340.8K

$26.8K NOK 258.6K

31.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$43.1K NOK 415.5K

$24.3K NOK 234.2K

77.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$242 NOK 2,336

$306 NOK 2,952

-20.87%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.51 NOK 371

$40.10 NOK 387

-3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 NOK 624

$38.04 NOK 367

70.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 NOK 520

$50.3 NOK 485

7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.36 NOK 389

$35.74 NOK 345

12.93%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 195

$15.21 NOK 147

32.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$286 NOK 2,756

$272 NOK 2,625

5.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 121.1K

$14.6K NOK 141.0K

-14.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 NOK 878

$105 NOK 1,015

-13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 535

$46.64 NOK 450

19.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 NOK 1,072

$99.4 NOK 959

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,401

$152 NOK 1,467

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,408

$909 NOK 8,768

7.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 NOK 19.5K

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

-5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 15.0K

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

-3.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,575 NOK 73.0K

$5,734 NOK 55.3K

32.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 44.8K

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

18.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.9K

$5,193 NOK 50.1K

-16.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.38

10.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baerum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Bergen versus $1,232 in Baerum. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Baerum, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Bergen versus $102 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $489 vs $472 – making Baerum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bergen vs Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bergen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,975 per month in Bergen and $3,836 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baerum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,650 in Bergen and $2,557 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Baerum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Baerum, where all-in costs run around $2,557, than in Bergen at $2,650. In Baerum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bergen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baerum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Baerum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bergen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.